Wasatiyah as Educational Philosophy: Internalizing Religious Moderation Through School Religious Culture

Abstract

This study examines school religious culture as a philosophical medium for internalizing wasatiyah values in the development of students’ religious moderation attitudes. Previous studies mostly position religious culture as moral habituation, while limited attention has been given to its role as a philosophical hidden curriculum within Islamic educational thought. This research aims to analyze how school religious culture functions as a philosophical and sociological instrument in shaping students’ wasatiyah consciousness. The study employed a qualitative phenomenological approach conducted at SMK Ma’arif NU Sunan Giri Driyorejo through in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and documentation analysis. The findings reveal that religious culture internalizes moderation values through three main pillars: inclusive daily rituals, institutional policies based on equality, and educators’ exemplary conduct rooted in the principle of uswah hasanah. These practices contribute to the development of students’ national commitment, tolerance, non-violence, and accommodative attitudes toward local culture. This study contributes to Islamic educational philosophy by positioning school religious culture as a hidden curriculum for internalizing wasatiyah consciousness in multicultural educational environments.